Pnut the giant bunny turns heads with staggering size
Pnut is one show-stopping bunny. Fairs, festivals, Santa Claus parades. This large lagomorph always turns heads and attracts cuddles.
Pnut weighs 18 pounds and is almost two feet in length. Most breeds of rabbit weight 10 pounds, tops.
“I usually get a crowd of people around me,” says Pnut’s owner, Sarah Brudo, who has had the continental giant rabbit for three years. “People think he’s a dog. They don’t believe they’re seeing what they’re seeing.”
Not that the attention fazes Pnut, short for Peanut. Continentals are known as the “gentle giant” of the rabbit world. Most other bunnies can be timid. Continentals are known to be imperturbable and friendly. Assertive, even.
“He’s the boss of the house. He’s the boss of my husband, and my dog. And me,” says Brudo, who grew up in Ottawa and now lives in Mallorytown, near Brockville.
Pnut is an indoor bunny. He’s litter-trained and essentially goes wherever he wants, wearing a cat harness when he goes outdoors for a hop.
He lives on a diet of hay, pellets and vegetables. Kale is a particular favourite and Pnut can easily nosh through a bundle a day. He also has a sweet tooth and likes apples and bananas, which he’s only allowed only in limited amounts.
“If anything lands on the floor, you can hear him running,” Brudo says.
Pnut likes dogs, even the big ones.
“He has a way about him. He’s not afraid of anything.”
BIG BUNNIES
Continental giant rabbits, also known as German giants, are believed to be descended from the Flemish giant breed.
In the U.K., where raising giant rabbits is a competitive event, some champions have weighed in at more than 50 pounds, measuring more than four feet in length.
Length, not weight, is what really counts to go the distance. A Continental that gets too big too fast will suffer from health complications such as joint injuries.
Continental giants are still relatively rare in Canada. Both coloured and white varieties are recognized by the British Rabbit Council.
But they are not recognized as a breed by the American Rabbit Breeders Association because they are very similar to the Flemish giant, association executive director Eric Stewart said.
Giant breeds were originally raised as livestock, and there’s still a niche market for rabbit meat, said Stewart. “Rabbit meat is very healthful and eco-friendly.”
Meanwhile, the giant breeds are popular with those looking for a docile companion.
A recent rabbit show drew 200 entries in the Flemish giant category, says Stewart, who is also a rabbit judge and started out raising Flemish giants.
He’s still fan of giant rabbits. “They’re like big, dopey dogs.”